In furtherance of the public trust assumed by county officers, upon their election or appointment to public office or employment, the following standards of conduct shall be applicable:
(A) No county officer or member of his or her family shall have an interest in a business organization or engage in any business, transaction, or professional activity, which is in conflict with the proper discharge of such officer’s duties in the public interest.
(B) No county officer shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for himself or herself, members of his or her family or other persons.
(C) No county officer shall act in his or her official capacity in any matter where such officer, a member of his or her family, or a business organization in which such officer has an interest, has a direct or indirect financial or personal involvement that might reasonably be expected to impair his or her objectivity or independence of judgment.
(D) No county officer shall undertake any employment or service, compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to prejudice such officer’s independence of judgment in the exercise of his or her official duties.
(E) No county officer, members of his or her family, or business organization, nonprofit entity, or labor organization in which such officer has an interest, shall solicit or accept any gift, favor, loan, political contribution, service, economic opportunity, promise of future employment, or other thing of value based upon an understanding, or under circumstances from which it could reasonably be inferred, that the gift, favor, loan, contribution, service, promise, or other thing of value was given or offered:
(1) For the purpose of influencing such officer, directly or indirectly, in the discharge of his or her official duties; or
(2) For the purpose of gaining access to the county officer.
(3) Nothing herein shall be construed to apply to the solicitation or acceptance of contributions to the campaign of announced candidate for elective public office as governed by applicable provisions of the Kentucky Revised Statutes.
(F) No county officer, however, shall be prohibited from giving or receiving:
(1) An award publicly presented in recognition of public service;
(2) Commercially reasonable loans made in the ordinary course of the lender’s business; or
(3) Reasonable hosting, including entertainment, meals or refreshments furnished in connection with public events, appearances, or ceremonies.
(G) No county officer authorized and qualified to solemnize a marriage shall be prohibited from accepting a gratuity for performing such ceremony.
(H) No county officer shall use, or allow to be used, his or her public office, or any information, not generally available to the members of the public, which such officer receives or acquires in the course and by reason of his or office, for the purpose of securing financial gain for himself or herself, any member of his or her family, or any business organization with which such officer is associated.
(I) No county officer or business organization in which such officer has an interest shall represent any person or party other than the local government in connection with any cause, proceeding, application or other matter pending before any county agency.
(J) No county officer shall be deemed in conflict with these provisions if, by reason of such officer’s participation in the enactment of any ordinance, resolution or other matter required to be voted upon, no material or monetary gain accrues to such officer as a member of any business, profession, occupation or group, to any greater extent than any gain could reasonably be expected to accrue to any other member of such business, profession, occupation or group.
(K) No county officer shall be deemed in conflict with the provisions of this ethics code, if by reason of such officer’s participation in the enactment of any ordinance, resolution, or other matter required to be voted upon, material or monetary gain is conferred upon a nonprofit or charitable organization with which the county officer or a member of his or her family is in any way associated if the county officer has disclosed said association to the Ethics Commission through his or her annual report or a supplementary report or if the county officer discloses said association with the clerk or secretary of the voting body prior to casting such vote.
(L) No county officer shall be prohibited from making an inquiry for information or providing assistance on behalf of a citizen or constituent if no fee, reward or other thing of value is promised to, given to, or accepted by, the officer or a member of his or her family, whether directly or indirectly, in return therefor.
(M) Nothing in these standards of conduct shall prohibit any county officer, or members of his or her family, from representing himself or herself, or themselves, in negotiations or proceedings concerning his or her, or their, own interests.
(Ord. 556, passed passed 3-17-2015)